Game 83: The Road to Under .500 Ends Here

The Yankees will try to avoid their first five-game losing streak of the season and a sweep by the last-place Rays in this afternoon’s game at the Stadium. A loss would put the Yankees under .500 for the first time since they were 5-6 after losing to the Red Sox on April 11.

The good news is that first pitch is at 1:05 p.m. and the Yankees are 15-10 in day games this season, the third-best mark in the AL.

The bad news is that Mark Teixeira and Jacoby Ellsbury are not on the lineup card, and its not just a “day game after night game” day off. According to Joe Girardi, Teixeira had his left knee drained after last night’s game and he wanted to give him a rest, and Ellsbury “isnt feeling great in general”.

Vidal Nuno will be on the mound for the home team, looking to win consecutive outings for the first time in his career. Nuno threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings to get the victory in his last start against the Red Sox.

He’ll be opposed by Rays starter Jake Odorizzi, who is 3-7 with a 4.14 ERA this season, but has 1.44 ERA in his last four starts. He has made one career start against the Yankees, allowing three runs over four innings on May 3.

The Yankees have lost four straight and three of the four losses have been by one run. So a blowout win would be nice here. Heck, any win would be nice.

Former ESPN researcher; forever baseball and Yankees fan. Now living in northern Vermont and the color of the front door of our house is Yankee blue. Also write about college football and basketball and the NFL. Bleed Huskies blue (that's UConn, of course).